Versatile Venality
by Tears of a Raven
Summary: Vincent Valentine takes a trip down memory lane while trying to grasp what is happening and why people who are dead are alive. Plz read, and review i spent alot of timeon it


**Versatile Venality**

**Chapter one: Valentine**

The air was damp and cold. The mid winter moon was out and full allowing the beautiful starry sky to be bleached with its light. Down below a newly formed Midgar was well on its way to becoming a better place. A man traveled the busy streets. He wore a black trench coat and he was deathly pale. He pulled the coat tighter over himself as the air nipped at him. His eyes were a beautiful blood red, which were focused on the way ahead of him. Deep within he felt a sick feeling, a feeling he had been getting for the past month. He decided not to walk anymore with the fact that the sick feeling was becoming worse. He sat down at the nearest bench. He hunched over and took a deep breath. This man, Vincent Valentine was cursed with so many things all too much for a regular man to bear, but he'd dealt with it all. Images of the past still haunt the uneasy mind as traces of a sleep that would never come cried out.

He leaned back in the chair, his breath coming in harsh and slow. As he allowed his eye lids to close they reminded him of something he wanted dearly. He was unlike an ordinary man. He could not die. Though at times the thought came flooding in, and so many times drifted away like a cloud. It wouldn't stay and he'd never come within a chance to reach it. It was nothing more than a dream waiting to happen, a dream that would never happen. He had thought about it over and over again, and finally he gave up. Death comes to those who wait...How long does he have to wait?

"HM...You look nice today Mr. Valentine..."

A female voice stated. Vincent, who looked different from the regular Vincent many grew to know, looked up from his paper. He had short cut black hair and wore a tuxedo. He had a skin tone and didn't look dead. His eyes where odd though. They had a look of haunt to them and were still red. Red like the color of the blood he'd seen spilt so many times before.

"So do you as always...Lucrecia." Vincent smiled. "What is the special occasion?"

Vincent had always had a soft spot for Lucrecia. Some call it love, some call it something else. Vincent hoped it was love. For years and years Vincent had only known the impurity of knowing the way of a killer, and never a lover. Now, more then ever he wished he could find that one person and he wished it to be her.

"We are going on a date today."

Vincent's heart dropped. He looked to the figure that stepped next to Lucrecia. The figure that he swore to protect under the policy of being a Turk and working for ShinRa. Before him stood Hojo, one of ShinRa's top scientists. He had a mocking grin on his face as he placed his arm around Lucrecia.

Hojo had a smile plastered upon his face. He just loved to see how it twisted Vincent's heart left and right. How it slowly leaked out every ounce of blood that kept him living. He loved to see Vincent's reactions as he squirmed; as his eyes grew large then softened as he watched Lucrecia. How his eyes held a certain glow of envy for Hojo. Oh! He loved every moment of it and Vincent knew.

Vincent nodded returning to his paper hopping to get the image out of his mind of what he just saw. Hojo knew of this and continued on with the torture. Hojo enjoyed it all.

"Of course you are _our_ body guard, would you like to tag along? Maybe you'll get lucky and able to see some free porno."

"Hojo!" Lucrecia snapped as she playfully slapped Hojo on the shoulder." Of course you know it wouldn't be allowed within the hotel room with us."

Hojo laughed and pulled Lucrecia with him as he walked out the door. Lucrecia looked over her shoulder and Vincent with an "I'm sorry." look on her face. Vincent saw this and gave in. He couldn't help it. Something within him loved Lucrecia.

"HEY VIN!"

A voice called. Vincent turned somewhat to see a young woman walk with a white dog. The dog sniffed the room for a moment then tagged after were Hojo went. The woman was tall and somewhat slender. She had long black hair and dark crimson eyes. She had black pants and a white button up shirt. She looked out the hallway were the dog had ran too. She saw Hojo picking up the dog and smiling evilly. She shook her head,

"Dog doesn't learn. Hojo hates that poor girl yet she still goes after him. She loves him that much I take it."

"Is she stupid?"

Vincent asked. The girl popped her head back into the room and turned to look at Vincent. He had this hope look in his eyes. The girl placed a hand on her hip and thought for a moment.

"Well, she is tagging after someone who obviously doesn't want her and is just using her, but when you think about it, it's kinda sweet and romantic even if Hojo doesn't like her..."

"Al ,...Is she stupid though? For going after someone she can never have?"

"No. It's just love. It's not stupid, it's not her fault. If anything Hojo is stupid for not seeing it...O well it's a lost cause. Why are you so interested?"

Almera or Al as Vincent called her, stared at him blankly. Vincent looked down. He had never thought about it that way. He had always noticed that the cute little fluffy white dog always ran after Hojo and in a way seemed love stricken. Vincent was no better than that dog. Not that he was putting the dog down, but he knew how she felt kinda. She loved Hojo and he loved Lucrecia. It was simple as A.B.C and yet he made it so completed.

"I know..."

Almera said as she sat down on the desk. She placed a hand on Vincent's shoulder and looked down at him. He stared up. For some reason time stopped and he knew he wasn't alone. Almera had been just a regular run of the mill house maid but in turn became a 'friend' to him. But of course, it's Vincent and he could never have any friends. There was hardly any one who he could trust now and days.

Vincent nodded his head and put his paper down. Almera got up and pulled out a cigarette. She handed it to Vincent telling him not to give up. It wasn't a lost cause like the dog and Hojo, Vincent had a chance. He could tell Lucrecia just how he felt and maybe she'd tell him the same. Maybe she'd love him back. But the poor dog. She would never be able to tell Hojo just how she felt. She'd never be able to tell him that she loved him and try to make him care. She'd only get hurt in the position she was in now. It was almost like a romance novel, something that would never have a happy ending though.

"Wanna beer?"

Almera looked at Vincent. They walked down an old wooden hallway of the ShinRa mansion. The lights were dim and the walls maroon. The carpet was red and the ceiling wood. Vincent still seemed lost within a forever chain of thought and just nodded. Almera growled and smacked him on the back of the neck. Vincent flew forward then shot back up right.

"HEY!"

Vincent Growled back. Almera stared at him. She held a concerned look upon her face.

"Thinking about her again eh?"

She asked. Vincent looked away guiltily. She looked at him closer. His eyes trembled. She knew he was thinking about her. There was a loud Slam and they both jumped. Hojo stepped into the hallway from one of the doors. He stopped and looked at them.

"Going on your date yet?"

Almera asked with more of a sarcastic tone than she anticipated.

"No not yet."

Hojo Said. He didn't realize she had stuck the sarcasm there. He looked at Vincent who seemed to try to stray his gaze from Hojo toward something else. Hojo smiled as he walked closer to them. He had a look on his face that said he'd play with Vincent a bit before he left.

"So is this your girlfriend Vincent?"

"NO!"

Almera yelled quickly. Hojo glared at her quick. She shut up. He looked down at the man with red eyes. Vincent felt a lump within his throat and looked at Hojo. Hojo stared at him with mockery written all over his face. Vincent took a long hard gulp then decided to answer.

"No."

"Ahh...yes. The infamous Vincent has his eyes on another prize don't you? A prize which you can not come anywhere near. But of course you can't. For she loves me."

Hojo smiled.

"Hojo I think you're needed in the lab..."

Almera stated. There was a loud boom. Hojo sighed and continued on ward laughing all the way, Almera placed her hand on Vincent's shoulder.

Vincent leaned against the wall and held his chest. It was all just to awful for him to bear. The one he loved could never love him.

Almera looked down as the white dog went walking by. Vincent looked at the dog. Hate grew within his heart as he pulled out his gun and fired at it. The dog whimpered and ran down the hall. Almera grabbed his gun away from him and threw it to the ground. She pushed him up against the wall and yelled at him.

"VINCENT VALENTINE WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING TO A POOR DOG!" Vincent looked down. He held his breath. His face was red and his eyes shook. He closed them and started to breathe uneasily. He tensed up more then usual and attempted in pushing Almera off. Almera glared at him. He looked up at her. Her eyes were filled with confusion. She loosened her grip and backed away.

"Why did you shoot at the dog?" Almera looked at him. "Because...that damn dog! That Damn dog is beginning to get on my last nerves! She's like me! She...if she were human would probably be in the same situation that I'm in and for some foolish reason I am blaming her for this all!" Vincent yelled. If he could, Vincent would have cried. He would have cried until the cows came home but he couldn't. He was a poor hearted almost broken man, yet he couldn't cry. He'd seen to many die and held no sympathy for them that he couldn't hold any for himself.

Almera shook her head and started for the door. Vincent wanted to call her back but didn't. He didn't want to drag her down into the mess. Almera picked up the gun and placed it on the table within the hallway. She turned and gave Vincent a look that told him to hold on. Hold on to what though? What values did he have that meant that much that he should hold on too them? Why even bother being what you are, when you are accomplishing nothing? Why bother to live life day after day when all you do is watch the blood of others spray across the snow? Why bother ran throughout Vincent's mind the entire time. He had lost himself again within his own train of thoughts. For endless thoughts he wish would leave his mind and allow him peace. But even if they did, the faces of his past victims still haunted his dreams and that was worse then almost any thought Vincent could come up with.

Vincent opened his eyes to realize he had fallen asleep on the bench he sat down on. He looked around. It was still a little nippy but not as cold as it was before he had fallen asleep. He got up and started for his apartment. He had the weirdest dream. He felt like he relived a part of his past...but the thing was he felt a bit better afterward. He stopped to think about the dog. The white dog he blamed for all of it. It was sad now that he thought about it. He blamed a pour harmless dog for the things that were going wrong around him. It was never that dog's fault...then again...it was never really his fault either.

He walked down the streets of cold and slowly softened Neo Midgar which seemed to be a brighter place with the fact that the giant plate was gone. But even without that, and without Shinra around to mess everything up, it seemed that Midgar couldn't escape the regret and shame that it once held. That the slums were once the world's worst place of all time. Midgar had something to look foreword too now. It had a new beginning right in front his it's eyes...so why didn't Vincent? Why didn't Vincent feel like he could forget the past and move on? Why couldn't he move on? What held him to the old memories that rotted his brain and corrupted his never ageing body?

He Continued down the long sidewalk and stopped as he reached a corner. For a second his heart dropped, for a moment he couldn't breath. There across the street from him walked a young girl who resembled Almera so vividly it was scary. But it wasn't just that. She had a white dog with her. The dog looked so much like the dog from Shinra.

In a few seconds flat Vincent regained his stamina and realized he could walk a cross the street. He stopped right in the middle of the crosswalk to be passed by a man in a blue shirt and black jeans with long black hair pulled into a pony tail with messy bangs. He looked like Hojo. No...

The man gave a wicked grin and nudged Vincent in the shoulder. He chuckled a bit and time seemed to stop for a while. Vincent couldn't breathe. He just stood there frozen in time next to Hojo.

"So Mr. Valentine...How has life been treating you?"

"Ho...Hojo...What are you?...I thought we killed you before we went after Sephiroth..."

Hojo laughed. He gave a sly grin then started to walk again and time went back to normal.

"Oh but you Did Mr. Valentine. You did."

And with that his voice faded and he became one with the swarming crowd. Vincent, after being honked at continued with his walk. He stopped at the stairs that led up to his apartment. He pulled out his key and stared at it. Had he really gotten this far with is life? Had he passed threw more then 30 years of troublesome times with sleep and some fighting? Was it really over? Then the thought of Hojo came into his mind. He had just seen Hojo a moment ago...but was that really him or had he become delusional?

Vincent pulled out his key to the apartment door and opened it. He walked in and turned on the lights. His apartment was a small cozy little apartment. There was kitchen/living room then a hallway that led into his room and the bathroom. He started down for the hallway after throwing his keys on the counter. Vincent, stopped as he reached his door. There was a loud bam coming from downstairs. BAM! BAM! Vincent soon realized what was going on. His neighbors down stairs were fighting and someone fired a gun. Vincent felt his heart sink low into his stomach. Should he do something? Did he care?

Vincent walked into his room and began to take of his jacket when a knock was heard at the door. Puzzled he looked at the door then approached it. He was unaware of what lied behind it. He slowly gripped the door knob then opened it.

A woman stood before the door. Her eyes were crimson red and she wore a maid outfit. She smiled bleakly then looked up at Vincent. Her eyes seemed to have a faint gleam to them. Vincent looked at her, his eyes opened wide. She was the girl he had spotted earlier. She was the girl he had seen walking down the street before he had come in contact with the Hojo Look alike. She was the woman he thought was Almera.

"Vincent… Vincent Valentine…"

Almera stuttered as she slowly extended her hand outward toward him. There was a loud dog bark and Vincent found himself in darkness. He looked around to see Hojo. Hojo stood there smiling as he kicked the dog in the face. Vincent flinched. He for some reason felt the blow. Vincent attempted in keeping his ground but he kicked the poor dog again and Vincent felt his body jerk and being thrown down to the ground. Hojo's sadistic evil smile grew bigger as his bared bleeding blackish red sore gums and yellow disgusting molded piercing fangs as he began to laugh. Leaning foreword he picked up the dog by the back of it's neck causing it to whimper. It cried as Hojo dug his had within its belly pulling out from it a sack… it was a puppy.

Vincent lied on the ground his eyes closed and his hands clasped tightly over his chest. The intense pain was driving him mad on the inside. He gripped at his chest. He wanted to claw but it would only make the pain worse. He was about to pass out when a voice called him back within his mind. He turned around and looked at the person who called him. His caller stood above him with a big smile on their face.

'Vincent… What are you doing? You were supposed to be up five minutes ago. Hojo and Lucrecia are already leaving!"

Almera smiled as she placed a hand on Vincent's face. Her hand was cold and cooling to his feverish skin. He jumped quickly to be found on his bed. Vincent looked frantically around the room. A hand pushed slightly against his chest form the side of him. He went to grab the gun at his side but when he did noticed it wasn't there. He looked up at the figure with a surprised expression.

"Hello…Is this your apartment?"

It was the woman who looked like Almera.

"Almera…" Vincent barely chocked. "I thought…:cough: I thought you were…"

The woman slowly attempted in pushing Vincent down as she hushed him.

'I don't know who this 'Almera' is but I found you outside your apartment door knocked out cold with blood slipping from your mouth. I brought you inside hoping this was your apartment…"

Vincent looked up at her. Did she not know who he was? Did she forget that she was Almera? Or was it even Almera. There was an almost silent bark when the little white dog came running in the room. Vincent stared at it. It was the dog from his dream. The dog form when he was a Turk. It looked identical to the one when he worked for Shinra. The white fluffy dog even had the Beige smug on its nose were Hojo had slammed the door on the poor thing.

Almera yelled at the dog to leave the room. She turned back to Vincent with a warm smile. Vincent looked at her with a confused look upon his face. He couldn't tell whether it was the fact that she didn't know who he was or that fact that she wasn't Almera that kind a hurt, but he knew it hurt.

Almera got up to go get a warm towel. Vincent stared in his room. The window was open the nice cool air flooded the room. It was a cold day outside but he was hot. He felt like he'd been running a fever all day. He stared at the window. Outside things were changing for the better. Midgar was no longer the evil place where the devil spawned but it was becoming a nice humble place for people to live and grow children. Vincent sighed as he began to look at the ceiling. How long had he been out? Just a day, and hour a few minutes, He didn't know but he was going to ask Almera when she came back in. That was, if she ever came back in.

After Vincent had met his friends Cloud and the others he knew how it felt to have friends. He felt the void he once had fill somewhat with less bitterness then before. Now he felt a lot better with himself then he had before. Now he could say he had friends. He felt as if he belonged with the living now. Or at least a little more then he did before. A little more was a big difference with the way he had felt before. It made a big difference to him.

He didn't know this girl who looked like Almera. How did he know she didn't think of him as a monster like others did? He looked down and noticed his cloths were changed. He was in a nice long thin shirt and sweats. He smelled the scent of the woman on the clothes and guessed she had changed him. He gave a small smile to himself. It felt weird that someone wanted to help him. No one he could ever think of would want to help him but his friends. Why would this girl that he didn't know want to help him? He could scare anyone off very easily with the metal claw he had and his pale facial features. How could anyone look at him like they looked at anyone else?

"um…"

Vincent shot his head up to see Almera. She gave a little smile and started again.

"I just realized, I have been here for about three days and I have yet to get your name. I got the mail and it said to Mr. Valentine but that is about all I know…sorry. I feel kind a dumb now…"

Vincent couldn't help but give a little laugh.

"That's…quiet alright. My Name is Vincent…Vincent Valentine."

Almera smiled and then widened her eyes. She realized she hadn't told him her name either. She smiled again, that same warm smile Vincent never thought he'd see again and bowed half way while holding onto the door frame.

"Alusia Redrew. DO you feel any better?"

Alusia had a concerned look upon her face. Vincent nodded and attempted in sitting up again but failed. Alusia walked out of the room and threw the hallway. She stopped then realized she forgot to tell Vincent something. She turned to walk back to Vincent's room when he was right behind her. She nearly screamed but just grabbed her chest.

Alusia looked down and began t laugh hysterically. Vincent placed his claw on her shoulder in alarm. She looked at it then up at him and calmed down. She smiled and leaned against the wall with relief.

"You scared me that is all. I wasn't expecting someone to be behind me like that. Many pardons sir…"

Vincent shook his head. He noticed his hand was on her shoulder and he pulled it away quickly. Alusia looked up at him quick. She gave a small laugh.

"It is alright. I like your arm. It's…cool."

Vincent did a double take and stared at her. She looked at him somewhat innocent. He gave a very small smile that he doubted Alusia saw. Vincent thought of his arm as a burden. Something to constantly remind him he was a monster and a sinner. Yet Alusia thought of it different. Completely different to be exact. She liked his arm. She said it was "cool". Vincent was amazed. He doubted anyone could think of his arm as cool and only evil or scar.

"OH! Yes. I am so sorry Mr. Valentine. A man called for you.."

Alusia searched her jean pocket for a paper she wrote the number on. Vincent shook his head again.

"It is alright. You may call me Vincent."

Alusia nodded and pulled out the number. Vincent felt his heart drop to his stomach and sulk there for a few moments. What came out of Alusia's mouth next was so unexpected. Vincent had allowed the incident earlier to totally slip his mind. He had forgotten all about it. Then again Alusia had said that she had been there three days. Was he asleep that long. If so how many times had Hojo come by? Had he even come by? He had called and left his number with Alusia so Vincent knew that much.

Alusia looked at Vincent.

"Are you hungry? I can stay a while longer. Actually I've stayed here three days. I went home yesterday but it didn't feel right leaving you here alone and unconscious so I came back. Sorry I showered here and made dinner. Speaking of WHICH! YOU MUST BE STARVING!"

Vincent laughed. She rambled on and on with sentences that never seemed to end.

"I am sorry. I am rambling on. But no really aren't you hungry?"

Now that Vincent thought more about it he was hungry. But then again, he didn't eat human food a lot. He looked at Alusia who seemed to be lost starring at something within the kitchen. Vincent looked at what she was staring at and he noticed it. There was a piece of meat on the table which seemed to have hardly been cooked. Vincent looked at her and she quickly dodged into the kitchen and gobbled it somewhat whole.

Alusia turned around quickly and looked at Vincent. He stared at her as if he didn't know what was going on. She looked around like if she were hiding something but then stopped. The white fluffy dog came out of no where and stopped. He looked at Vincent then begged for attention from Alusia. There was a loud knock and the dog went hysteric. It began to bark loudly at the door. Vincent looked at the door as someone knocked. Alusia stared at Vincent. Was he going to answer it?

Vincent began forward toward the door when the dog jumped at the door. Vincent barely had it open when the dog attacked it. The white fluffy dog took a large white mass of coat and threw it to the ground snarling like mad. Both Alusia and Vincent alarmed, ran out into the hallway and stared down. The dog was wrestling, playfully now with a man in a white coat. Vincent's eyes grew wide. It couldn't be could it? Rufus lied on the floor smiling and playing with the dog back. Rufus looked up and stood up. He bowed to both Vincent and Alusia. Vincent looked at Alusia who had a pistol out. Vincent looked at her wide eyed. Alusia looked at Rufus then at Vincent. Her eyes didn't seem to change

"Who is this?"

She asked as she looked at Rufus again. She must of thought of him as a threat because she still held her pistol out. Vincent placed a hand on hers for her to take her gun down. She stared at him then at Rufus who eyed her uneasily then looked at Vincent.

"Rufus...you're still alive"

"Yes, much alive now. I'm not the only one either. There were nine tubs within a small underground laboratory. I came to get some answers. What has happened to Midgar, to Shinra?"


End file.
